Guide mechanism for tank balls



April 1, 1952 s. COLE 2,591,137

GUIDE MECHANISM FOR TANK BALLS Filed July 31, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Fig. 1.

a INVENTOR. BY Z April 1, 1952 s. COLE GUIDE MECHANISM FOR TANK BALLS 2 SHEETSSi-IEET 2 4 Filed July 31, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Fig. 3,

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to valve guide and operating instrumentalities of flush tanks of toilet bowls, and in particular an improved valve guide having aligned eyes for holding the valve stem wherein one of the eyes is adjustable in relation to the other, and a valve operating arm mounting in which the position of the arm is adjustable and the travel thereof limited.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved mounting for the valve operating instrumentalities of toilet bowl flush tanks wherein hanging up of the valve and permitting waste of water is substantially eliminated.

In the conventional flush tank valve mounting where the valve bulb is suspended from the end of the swinging arm by a wire the bulb is thrown to one side in the opening movement of the valve and as the water recedes the bulb is caught in guiding elements therefor, so that at considerable annoyance, it is necessary to go back and shake the flushing lever. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates an improved mounting for valves of flush tanks wherein the valve stem is maintained in a vertical position and the operating arm, which is adjustably mounted, extends under a disc or head on the upper end of the valve stem and is not connected to the disc or head.

This invention also includes means for holding an operating arm mounting for flush tanks in Which means is provided for preventing rotation of the arm and also in which the travel of the arm is limited.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for float valves of flush tanks wherein the valve stem is held in an adjustable guide and the operating arm is retained in a fixed position which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in i view the invention embodies a vertically positioned substantially U-shaped valve stem guide yoke having aligned eyes on the ends of the arms r with the position of one of said eyes adjustable in relation to the other, an operating arm having an outwardly extended arcuate end positioned with the arcuate end under a disc on the upper end of a stem of the valve float, and a mounting for the operating arm which holds the arm with the end extended under the disc and which re-- tains the arm in operative relation to the valve stem and disc thereon.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a section through the end of a flush tank showing the valve mounting parts in elevation and with parts thereof broken away.

Figure 2 is a similar section showing the valve mounting parts in elevation and also with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken at a right angle to that shown in Figure 1 showing the valve guide mounting with parts broken away and also showing a section through a wall of the tank.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a section taken on line 4 of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale and showing the improved operating arm mounting.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved flush tank valve mounting of this invention includes a yoke I0 mounted on an overflow tube l2, a valve stem l4 having a bulb 16 on the lower end positioned to coact with a valve seat IS in the upper end of a nipple 20, and an operating arm 22 carried by a block 24 on a shaft 26 of a flush lever 28, and having an arcuate outer end 3!! positioned to extend under a disc 32 threaded on the upper end of the valve stem M,

The nipple 20 is provided with a flange 34 and a sealing rubber washer or gasket 36 is secured against the inner surface of the base 38 of a tank 40 by a lock nut 42 threaded on the nipple with the nipple extended through an opening 44 in the base 38. A washer 46 is also provided under the lock nut 42, as shown in Figure 1. The nipple 20 is provided with a hollow arm 48 having a hub 50 on the outer end into which the lower end of the overflow tube [2 is threaded.

The yoke I0 is secured to the tube [2 by a clamp 52 which is formed with extended flanges 54 and 56 and a banjo key set screw 58 which is positioned in an opening in the flange 56 and threaded in the flange 54 secures the clamp and yoke in adjusted positions on the tube [2. The yoke is provided with an arcuate upper arm 60 having an eye 62 on the end thereof, and a lower arm 64 in which the stud 66 of a lower eye 68 is adjustably held by a banjo key set screw 12 therein. By this means the eye 68 may be aligned with the upper eye 62, the stud 66 being slidable in an opening 14 in the arm 64. The heads of the banjo set screws 58 and 12 are provided with openings for receiving the bit of a screw driver or the like to facilitate turning the screws.

The arm 22 is secured, preferably by welding, to the guide block 24 and an extended end 16 of the arm is positioned in an opening 18 in a stop and guide 89 which is carried by an arm 82 of a flange 84 of an internally threaded bushing 86 that is positioned in an opening 88 in the wall of the tank 40, the bushing being clamped in position by a nut 99.having a threaded sleeve 92 which i threaded into the bushing 36. The nut 96 is provided with a bore 94 in which the shaft 26 is pivotally mounted and the opposite end of the shaft extends into a bore 98 in the block 24. The end of the shaft positioned in the block 24 is provided with a flat side 93 which coacts with a set screw I threaded in the block 24, as shown in Figure 4, whereby the position of the operating arm 22 is adjustable on the shaft 26 to facilitate freedom ofoperation of the parts.

' 'With the parts arranged in this manner downward movement of the flush lever 28 forces the arcuate end 30 of the arm 22 upwardly whereby the disc 32 is engaged and upward movement of the disc raises the valve bulb I6 above the seat l8, and upon release of the flush lever the end 3i] of the arm 22' drops downwardly away from the disc whereby the disc lowers freely with the downward travel of the bulb 16. By this means it is possible to accurately adjust the positions of the parts so that they will continue to operate efficiently throughout the life thereof.

It will also be noted that with the yoke l0 adjustable on the overflow tube l2 and with the lower'eye 68 adjustable in the yoke it is possible to accurately seat the valve bulb upon the seat even though the tube is bent or out of alignment with the mounting elements.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that flush tank valve operating instrumentalities constructed in accordance with my invention are particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which they may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a flush tank valve mounting, the combination which comprises a base having upwardly extended walls, one of said walls having an opening therein spaced from the upper end thereof, an outlet nipple having a valve seat in the'upper end mounted in the base of the tank, a vertically disposed overflow tube carried by the nipple, said tube being spaced from and parallel to the axis of the nipple, a vertically positioned substantially U-shaped yoke having upper and lower outwardly extended horizontal arms with an eye on the outer end of the upper arm positioned in the tank, said lower arm of the yoke having an opening extended inwardly from an end thereof, a stud having an eye on one end slidably mounted .in the opening in the end of the lower arm of the yoke, a banjo set screw threaded in the lower arm of the yoke and positioned to engage the stud for securing the eye of the stud in alignment with the eye on the end of the upper arm of the yoke, a clamp by which the yoke is carried for adjustably mounting the yoke on the overflow tube with the eyes 4 on the ends of the arms thereof aligned with the axis of the outlet nipple, a valve stem having a bulb on the lower end slidably mounted in the said eyes with the bulb positioned to coact with the valve seat of the nipple, a disc positioned on the upper end of the valve stem, an operating arm having an arcuate end positioned in the tank, an internally threaded bushing positioned in said'opening in a wall of the tank, a nut threaded into the bushing from the outside of the tank for securing the bushing in position in the said wall, a shaft having a flush lever on the end extended from the tank journaled in the nut and bushing, a block integral with said operating arm adjustably mounted on the end of the shaft extended into the tank thereby pivotally mounting the operating arm in the wall of the tank with the arcuate end of the arm positioned under the disc on the upper end of the valve stem, means limiting the travel of the said operating arm, means adjusting the position of the operating arm in relation to the pivotal mounting means, and a flush lever positioned on the exterior of the tank for actuating the operating lever through the pivotal mounting means.

2. Ina flush tank valve, the combination which comprises a base having upwardly extended walls providing a tank, a nipple having a valve seat in the upper end mounted in the said base, said nipple having an overflow tube extended upwardly therefrom and offset from the axis thereof,

a vertically positioned substantially U-shaped yoke having upper and lower outwardly extended horizontal arms With an eye on the outer end of the upper arm, said lower arm of the yoke having an opening extended inwardly from an end thereof, a stud having an eye on one end slidably mounted in the opening in the end of the lower arm of the yoke, a banjo set screw threaded in the lower arm of the yoke and positioned to engage the stud for securing the eye of the stud in alignment with the eye on the end of the upper arm of the yoke, a clamp by which the yoke is carried for adjustably mounting the yoke on the overflow tube with the eyes thereof aligned with the axis of the nipple, a valve stem having a,

disc on the upper end and :a valve bulb on the lower end slidably mounted in theeyes of the yoke with the valve bulb positioned to coact with the valve seat of the nipple, a shaft journaled in a Wall of the tank, a flush lever carried by the outer end of the, shaft, a block adjustably mounted on the inner end of the shaft, an operating arm extended from the said'block and having an arcuate end positioned under the disc,

on the upper end of the said valve stem, and a stop and guide carried by the journaling means of the said shaft and having an elongated opening therein into which an extended end of the operating arm extends for limiting traveling movement of the arm.

' STEVE COLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

